Kochi pitch progressing well

The pitch in Kochi for first ODI between India and Pakistan on April 2 would be ready by March 25, BCCI secretary SK Nair said on Monday.

The work on the pitch at the Jawaharlal Nehru International stadium, where the first one-dayer between India and Pakistan will be played on April 2, was progressing satisfactorily and it would be ready by March 25, cricket board secretary SK Nair said on Monday.

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Nair, who is also the president of Kerala Cricket Association (KCA), told reporters after a special general body meeting that chief curator Kasturirangan would inspect the pitch by March 20.

The meeting also decided the ticket rates for the match, he said adding the executive pavilion would cost Rs 5,000, elite pavilion Rs 3,000 and premimum chair Rs 2,000.

Nair said they expected about 60,000 spectators for the gallery for which the ticket rates have been fixed at Rs 200.

The sale of tickets through State Bank of Travancore (SBT) would begin from March 22. The tickets will be available from selected SBT branches in rest of the districts in the state.

Nair said the work on the media box and commentators box, which would be made air-conditioned, would begin from Tuesday.

He said spectators from Pakistan were expected for the match and arrangements have been made to see that they got the tickets on demand.